Learn Basketball with Marcus
⭑4.9 (10)
😊90
💰$63 weekly lessons
With over 20 years of experience as both a player and coach, I specialize in developing young athletes through focused training in ball handling, conditioning, and overall basketball IQ. I work with players ranging from ages 6 through high school, helping them build a strong foundation, sharpen their skills, and grow their confidence on and off the court. I played college basketball at Durham College and have further developed my training expertise through hands-on experience with Delson Training in New Jersey—one of the top programs for elite player development. My approach is simple: I love the game and I love helping kids get better. I’m easygoing, positive, and passionate—but I also push players to work hard, stay disciplined, and maximize their potential. Whether your child is just starting out or aiming for the next level, my goal is to guide them through that journey—step by step—with energy, focus, and fun.
Levels taught: Beginners, Intermediates, Experts
Teaches: Adults
😊90 Happy student score
🎓20 years playing
🔥10 Lessons
⭐️ AAU Coach and International basketball recruiter
Reviews
Total reviews10
Average rating
4.90
Gabriel S.
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 32
I trained with coach Marcus last summer and my game has got a lot better. He pushes me to be a better player and makes sure I understand the drills and do them right. My handles and feel for the game are things he has helped me with. Best trainer ever!
Martha Scott
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 16
My sons are currently receiving training from Coach Marcus. I appreciate his ability to cultivate the resilience required for basketball in them. Their skills have noticeably progressed under his guidance, and we plan to maintain this partnership due to the boys' admiration for him. They constantly praise his coaching abilities.
Anthony Campbell
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 16
I'm about to be a freshman next year and this summer I’m locked in with Marcus. I trained with him for 2 months last summer and i’m in my bag. I was doing 4 sessions a week plus playing AAU and my game just elevated. If your willing to put in the work this is your guy the results will come.
Max Korman
Level: Beginner•Lessons taken: 12
I played for coach Marcus and I also trained with him. He helped me with my confidence both on and off the court. I used to be scared and not believe in my game but he helped me change my mindset when approaching the game. Highly recommend!
Maurice Jones
Level: Intermediate•Lessons taken: 12
If you want the ball on a string this is your guy. His drills might seem simple but he will challenge you and before you know it your doing things with the ball that will even amaze you. Thank me later!
Locations
These are the locations I've set as being able to provide lessons:18 locations available
William Birch Park
500 Stillwell Ave, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, USA
478.5 miles awayOutdoors
Maplewood Memorial Park
580 Valley St, Maplewood, NJ 07040, United States
462.8 miles awayOutdoors
Palisades Interstate Park
2-20 Highwood Pl, Alpine, NJ 07620, USA
481.8 miles awayOutdoors
Veterans and Fallen Heroes Park
40 Birch Street
479.6 miles awayOutdoors
Nichols Park
898 Bloomfield Ave, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
469.3 miles awayOutdoors
Jesse Allen Park
99 Muhammad Ali Ave, Newark, NJ 07108, USA
467.1 miles awayOutdoors
Elmwood Park
Elmwood Park, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA
465.8 miles awayOutdoors
Nishuane Park
Nishuane Park, Montclair, NJ 07042, USA
465.7 miles awayOutdoors
Private Home Court
76 Clinton St, Bloomfield, NJ 07003, USA
466.6 miles awayOutdoors
De Muro Park
De Muro Park, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
468.2 miles awayOutdoors
Rand Park
155 N Fullerton Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042, USA
466.4 miles awayOutdoors
Boland Park
Dogwood Dr, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA
461.6 miles awayOutdoors
Vailsburg Park
694-736 S Orange Ave, Newark, NJ 07106, USA
465.7 miles awayOutdoors
Glenfield Park
115 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042, USA
466.4 miles awayOutdoors
YMCA of Montclair
25 Park St, Montclair, NJ 07042, USA
466 miles awayOutdoors
Stagg Field Playground
385 St Cloud Ave, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA
462.6 miles awayOutdoors
Pulaski Park
24 Mt Vernon Ave, Bloomfield, NJ 07003, USA
467.7 miles awayOutdoors
These are hit-or-miss, lessons are often relocated.
Want a lesson at your home or a different location? We can help.
Availability
These are the times I've set as being available for lessons.sundays
8 AM - 8 PM
mondays
8 AM - 8 PM
tuesdays
8 AM - 8 PM
wednesdays
8 AM - 8 PM
thursdays
8 AM - 8 PM
fridays
8 AM - 8 PM
saturdays
8 AM - 8 PM
Beginner training plan
Your first lessonIn your first session, we’ll begin with a 15-minute skill assessment to understand your current level and comfort with the game. Whether you’re brand new or just getting back into basketball, I’ll evaluate your ball handling, footwork, and movement.
Based on your goals- whether it’s improving fitness, learning the fundamentals, or preparing for team play-I’ll tailor the session with targeted drills to build confidence and a strong foundation. The goal is to make sure you feel comfortable, challenged, and excited to grow every session.
Lesson 11+We've built a strong player-coach connection, and you're now being given more challenging assignments to push your development. These tasks are designed to test your skills, focus, and commitment both on and off the court.
I'll continue to motivate and challenge you in a positive, constructive way, always with your growth in mind. My goal is to help you reach your full potential and see measurable improvement in your game.
Lesson 4-10By now, you're familiar with the expectations and structure, so we'll jump straight into focused training at the start of each session. The intensity and pace will continue to increase as we target consistency, performance, and game-readiness.
To maximize your progress, I'll also assign individual homework drills tailored to your goals-these will help reinforce what we cover when you're not training with me and build your confidence through repetition and self-discipline.
Lesson 2-3In these sessions, we'll build on the foundational drills introduced in your first lesson. As your comfort and confidence grow, we'll begin to increase the intensity and complexity of each drill.
The focus will be on improving your ball handling, footwork, conditioning, and basketball IQ, while reinforcing good habits. Every drill is designed to challenge you just enough to keep you motivated and moving forward.
Advanced training plan
Your first lessonIn our first advanced session, we'll start with a focused evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses through a series of high-level drills. This will help me understand your game IQ, pace, footwork, and decision-making under pressure.
We'll then dive into a customized training plan based on your goals-whether it's preparing for tryouts, elevating your in-game performance, or sharpening specific skills like elite ball handling, shooting off the dribble, or defensive reads.
This session sets the tone: high energy, high expectations, and high performance.
Lesson 11+By now, you've developed a strong foundation and refined your skills. In this session, we'll focus on pushing your limits even further. The drills will be more demanding, with a specific emphasis on elevating your game under pressure-whether that's executing with precision in tight moments or mastering your mental approach during high-stakes situations.
I'll continue to offer constructive feedback and strategies to help you consistently improve, while encouraging you to reach your maximum potential.
Expect this lesson to feel intense, as we set the bar
even higher for the next stage of your development.
Lesson 4-10By this stage, we're fully immersed in advanced-level training. Each session will push your physical and mental limits with a combination of elite drills, high-intensity scrimmages, and in-depth game scenarios.
We'll focus on fine-tuning your basketball IQ, court vision, reaction times, and decision-making, all while maintaining a high level of conditioning. I'll continuously challenge you with new techniques and more complex drills to ensure you're staying on top of your game.
You'll also be given homework assignments and film breakdowns to work on outside of training, allowing you to process what we've worked on and implement it during games.
Lesson 2-3These sessions are about refining mechanics and raising your execution speed. We'll build on your first session assessment by introducing game-specific drills, designed to improve performance under pressure and in real-time situations.
Expect a mix of intense skill work, situational breakdowns, and conditioning challenges. We'll also start tracking key performance areas to measure growth. The focus is on efficiency, confidence, and control-the tools needed to dominate at a higher level.
Youth players
Working with kidsWe'll start with a 15-minute assessment to understand your current skills and where you're at in your basketball journey. This is a fun and relaxed way for me to see what you're comfortable with, so we can make sure the drills are just right for you!
I'll check out your ball handling, footwork, and movement, and based on how you do, we'll get started with easy-to-follow drills to help you improve.
Whether you're new to basketball or have been playing for a while, I'll make sure everything feels exciting and challenging in a way that's perfect for you.
I want to make sure you have fun, stay motivated, and learn the skills you need to get better-one step at a time!
Working with teenagersWe'll start with a 15-minute assessment to evaluate your current skill level and understand your goals. This helps me tailor the training to suit where you are now, whether you're looking to improve your shooting, ball handling, conditioning, or overall game.
I'll observe your ball control, agility, and court awareness to determine areas that need focus, then we'll dive right into targeted drills that challenge your abilities. You'll get feedback on how to improve quickly and play smarter, while still keeping things fun and engaging.
We'll work on building confidence, improving technic and pushing you to be a better player each time you st
What you need to bringWater bottle
Basketball shoes
Basketball
What I can bring1. Resistance Bands
Perfect for building strength, speed, and flexibility, especially in the lower body and core. They enhance agility and conditioning during drills.
2. Weight Vest
Used to add extra resistance during drills, boosting endurance, explosiveness, and overall athletic performance great for vertical jump and speed.
3. Basketball
The essential tool for all skills, from shooting and passing to ball-handling and dribbling drills.
4. Cones
Used for setting up agility drills, dribbling courses, and improving footwork. Cones are great for developing quick direction changes and speed control.
5. Training Dummies
These are used for simulating defenders during offensive drills. They help with contact finishing, post moves, and fracticing defensive positioning.
6. Pads
Used in defensive drills to practice blocking, protecting the ball, and absorbing contact. Pads help players work on strengthing their reactions and taking hits while maintaining control.
Frequently asked questions
Cancellation Policy
We totally understand that life can be unpredictable and plans might change. That's
why we've got your back with our flexible cancellation policy, designed to give you
peace of mind when booking private sports lessons with our awesome local instructors!
If you need to cancel your lesson, no worries! You can get a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of making your booking. We want to make the process as hassle-free as possible for you.
And if you simply want to reschedule your lesson, change the date and time, or adjust the number of students joining, we've got you covered there too. You can easily make these changes within 24 hours of booking, and up to 72 hours before your lesson starts.
Our goal is to make your experience smooth, enjoyable, and worry-free. So go ahead and book with confidence, knowing that we're here to accommodate your needs every step of the way!
If you need to cancel your lesson, no worries! You can get a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of making your booking. We want to make the process as hassle-free as possible for you.
And if you simply want to reschedule your lesson, change the date and time, or adjust the number of students joining, we've got you covered there too. You can easily make these changes within 24 hours of booking, and up to 72 hours before your lesson starts.
Our goal is to make your experience smooth, enjoyable, and worry-free. So go ahead and book with confidence, knowing that we're here to accommodate your needs every step of the way!
MS
Basketball with Marcus Soumh⭑ 4.9 (10 reviews)